


Survival Instinct

by roguewrld



Series: Permanent [2]
Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Bruce/Tony if you squint, sorta dark
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-09
Updated: 2012-06-09
Packaged: 2017-11-07 09:02:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/429266
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/roguewrld/pseuds/roguewrld
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Tony leaves to get coffee, Bruce is eating breakfast. When he comes back, Bruce is gone and the Hulk is sitting on the floor.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Survival Instinct

**Author's Note:**

> It suddenly occurred to me last night that to the Hulk, Bruce is the Other Guy, no less terrifying to the Hulk than the Hulk is to Bruce. Bruce isn't weak, but he's fragile and the Hulk is big on survival.

Tony switched his coffee to the other hand and swiped his key card and opened the door to Bruce’s hotel room. “Hey, Bruce, you ready to…” Bruce wasn’t where Tony had left him, reading the paper and eating breakfast in front of the room’s big window. Instead, the Hulk was sitting on the floor, scratching the back of his head and looking sort of confused. “Good morning?”

The Hulk grunted something that Tony assumed was a reply and Tony shut the door behind him. “Mind if I look at the newspaper, big guy?” Tony picked it up from where it had been abandoned on the table. He was half expecting to see an article about dozens of murdered children, or maybe a particularly venomous editorial about one of Bruce’s sore points, but the paper was open to a restaurant review. A good one, and Tony made a note of the place’s name. “Okay, not that I’m not happy to see you when no one is trying to kill us, but what are you doing here?”

The Hulk shrugged. “Other Guy eat breakfast, then Hulk here.” He scratched at the back of his head again. 

“You hungry? No, stupid question, you’re always hungry. Let me get you some breakfast, and then I’ll try and figure out why you’re here.” Tony flipped out his phone. Room service was right out, but he could probably get a dinner to deliver a couple hundred pancakes. “Do you want blueberries, or chocolate chips?”

“Bruce back soon.” The Hulk scratched again and made a satisfied noise. He held out his hand to Tony. “Better now.”

It took Tony a minute to realize what he was looking at, because the scale was all off, the crumpled metal object so small in the Hulk’s hand, but eventually he realized what it was. It was a bullet. Tony made himself look at the window, and saw the perfect circle and slightly cracked glass. The Hulk was taking up most of the space between the table and the wall, but he could see the blood now that he was looking for it, soaking into the carpet and spattered in the Hulk’s hair. 

Tony’s hand curled into a fist around the spent bullet. He wanted to throw it, maybe break some furniture, but that would destroy evidence, and he wasn’t going to let whoever did this get away. 

The Hulk was Bruce’s baser emotions. Anger, yes, but also fear. These were things the Hulk understood, and the Hulk could see the fear and anger in Tony’s face. He gave Tony what passed for a gentle pat. “Hulk not let anyone hurt the Other Guy.”

Tony found a patch of carpet that wasn’t soaked in Bruce blood, and leaned against the Hulk. They weren’t going to give their presentation, not today, and suddenly Tony was exhausted. “I know, big guy. Thanks.”


End file.
